What is
North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH)? NCMH is the
website for Triangle Modernist Archive, Inc., a North Carolina
501C3 nonprofit organization committed to documenting, preserving, and
promoting residential Modernist architecture.

What does NCMH do?

Started
in 2007, and originally called Triangle Modernist Houses
(TMH), NCMH documents not only all of North
Carolina but many of the most well-known mid-century Modernist houses
and architects in the
US.

For passionate architecture fans, which are many, Modernist houses evoke a true love. These
houses
connect people to nature and the land through carefully designed spaces. Modernist houses are
also, for many, livable
sculptures.

NCMH has been recognized with several awards (see right)
for leadership in historic preservation.

We revived interest in the state's
legacy of great architecture.

We continually host popular Modernist house
tours, movies, and trips, giving thousands of people access to the most
exciting residential architecture, past and present.

We
raise awareness, connect people with their dream homes, and help
preserve exceptional works of art in the form of houses for future generations.

What is a
Modernist house?
Modernist design is characterized by features such as
combining traditionally separate common areas (like the
living room and the dining room, for example), open
interior floor plans with vaulted ceilings, large and
numerous windows, flat or low pitched roofs, long exposed
beams, extensive use of glass to bring in natural light,
and aesthetic geometric forms. Here
is an excellent review of Modernist design types.

How many Modernist
houses are there in North Carolina?
About 1300. Modernist design
is rare in any housing market. However, we have more than
anywhere else in the United States except for Los Angeles and
Long Island.

Why aren't Modernist
houses more popular?
Modernist houses truly rock, if you are into this kind of thing.
Sadly, most people aren't. The staggering
failure
of modernist design to catch on with homebuyers is disappointing
for its few but loyal admirers. The general public tends to
think Modernist homes are cool but consistently buy more
traditional designs. Except in rare cases, like
Arapahoe Acres
or
Los Angeles,
unconventional houses are considered slightly treasonous
anomalies to the conservative homeowner association mindset.
What is "brilliant" to an architecturally-inclined person is
often unsettling to the neighbors. Maintenance can be a
problem, too. The bolder the design, the more likely a
house will have water or structural damage over time. The
good news is that materials science has finally caught up with
modernist design, so most new houses don't have these problems.
And, like other works of art, these houses tend to be more
expensive than average.

Architecture critic Colin Rowe
once said that "modern
architecture’s fatal flaw is when architects "stipulate
an intrinsic connection
between the form of a building and the condition of society."
In other
words, modern design's effect on social change can, and often
is, overestimated by the profession (and its fans).

As former
Modernist homeowner Lynda Calabrese of Charlotte said,
"People want to be safe and they want to be like everyone
else. That's why everyone shops at The Gap. Realtors
don't even like to use the word 'contemporary' in their
advertisements. It's like the curse."

Who lives in Modernist
houses?
Modernist houses are generally more works of art than
construction, and the general public has little taste for living
inside art. However, artists, academics, architects,
children of architects, and all their patient spouses typically
love to live inside art.

Are Modernist
houses endangered?
Yes, especially those built in the 1950's and 1960's.
Their locations, often on prime real estate inside cities, are
worth much more than the houses, making demolition and
development an attractive option. For example, see
the sad fate of the
extraordinary
Catalano
house, Raleigh's internationally-known landmark.
By networking current owners and providing the public detailed
information, histories and maps, we help endangered houses be
purchased or otherwise preserved.

George Smart received the 2009 Sir Walter Raleigh Individual Award for Community
Appearance from the City of Raleigh

TMH received the 2009 Paul E. Buchanan Award from the Vernacular Architecture
Forum, established in 1993 to recognize contributions to vernacular architecture
that do not take the form of books or published work

George Smart received the2008 Gertrude S.
Carraway Award
of Merit by
Preservation North Carolina
for
individuals and organizations that have
demonstrated an outstanding commitment to
promoting historic preservation